Hael’s P.O.V.‘You, Hael Ashford, owe me a very large coffee.’ Cole’s voice came across the mind-link, exhausted and raspy from lack of sleep.I ignored him, leaping over a fallen tree and landing with all four feet on the ground. Without stopping, I continued running, my will blending with Magnus’s as we darted through thick clusters of brush and through dew sodden grass that dampened our fur. There was a slight fog that wrapped itself around every tree trunk and bit of foliage. It made the air taste fresh, the forest and soil not yet warmed by the sun’s heat.Sleep was becoming harder and harder to achieve, especially as of late. It was her fault, of course. The girl. Her scent was everywhere, clinging to every fucking thing in the estate. Some nights I’d fall asleep, only to wake up in a haze, momentarily forgetting who I was and who she was. Twice now I found myself out in the halls, seconds away from breaking into her room just to be near her. All that existed was the infuriating

Violet’s P.O.V.Oh my goddess…My feet slapped against the pavement, the sound echoing in my head. Or maybe that was my heartbeat, I didn’t know. It was going so fast, pounding away like a drum subjected to the rage of its owner.‘Violet, calm down!’ Lacey shouted, her voice too far away to reach me.What did I just do? What the hell did I just do!Colors whirred by, but I barely noticed them. In my head everything was a washed-out shade of grey, the color leached away by horror and utter shock. I was still there—in the café, listening to him scream and scream, staring at myself as I stood frozen, the empty cup still clutched in my hand.‘It wasn’t your fault. Ugh, listen to me!’Wasn’t my fault. Wasn’t my fault? I did that. I hurt him; I burned him!Tears stung my eyes, but no matter how many times I wiped them away, they just kept coming back. The seconds leading up to that moment played on repeat, the colors just a tad too bright and every second slowed, almost like a filter had be

Violet’s P.O.V.“…you insolent fucking princess.”Princess? What an endearing nickname for someone he supposedly wanted to murder. Alright, there was no supposedly about it. He definitely wanted to murder me, but clearly something was holding him back. I didn’t care what that something was. It bought me time and I’d be damned if I didn’t use every spare second how I wanted. There was this fire burning in my chest, one that ignited the day Hael destroyed my medication. It’s flames were composed of pure defiance, snapping and crackling any time Hael was near. It was what fueled my actions and dulled the voice in my head urging me not to piss him off.I wanted nothing more than to shift and tear into him, to prove I wasn't defenseless, but that was an impossibility. Instead, I beamed at him. I flooded my voice with bubbly warmth, even if I was still trying to catch my breath. The snort I let out was condescending, like I were talking to an animal that couldn’t quite grasp human logic.

Violet’s P.O.V. It was hard to concentrate on the red beans and rice Norma placed in front of me, even with the smoked Boudin sausage spewing its hearty scent of mouthwatering spices into the air. My heart was throbbing in my chest, and each beat only upset my stomach further. I couldn’t even muster up more than a flimsy smile when Norma pulled out a plate with a mountain of banana’s foster on top. She placed her hand on my shoulder and squeezed, surprising me for a moment. It wasn’t everyday that someone actually touched me. Come to think of it, other than Elijah himself, Hael was the only other person who regularly touched me. The thought made me shudder, which made Norma’s concerned expression deepen. Removing the food-stained apron she wore when baking, we both took a seat on the leather couch in my suite. It squeaked as we settled in, the milky white color obscenely bright. She nudged the throw pillows to the side and clasped her hands, her eyes flickering between myself and

Violet’s P.O.V.I skipped outside just as Olive pulled into the driveway. She was a whirlwind of chatter and energy the moment I slid inside, but more than anything I needed the distraction.“Alright, I’ve waited long enough. Any longer and I’m going to get ulcers.” She huffed, frantically brushing away the strands of purple hair that fell into her face. “Tell me everything. Spare no details, leave nothing out.”Per her request, I launched into what happened between Hael and I, starting with the moment I ran inside the house. Olive was the perfect listener, providing commentary when needed along with cursing, and adding her own exclamations throughout. I did decide to leave out the part about Hael actually being an assassin for his father, since I was still thoroughly freaked out about it, but I did tell her the rest of what Norma had told me.Her face paled when I got to that part and stayed pale until I finished. She did get a wicked grin on her face when I told her about what I’d d